They know each other. Lea being proud of Rachel was because it was her who encouraged Rachel to go into broadway. Before that Rachel was a popular pop singer in the Philippines

They are both Filipino singers, all Filipino singers are helping out each other..they are the best of the best!!!!

More of Ms Lea Salonga please. Thank you. 😍

Lea is amazing. I saw her in a return to Broadway and it was stunningly beautiful. Been listening to the OBC album for years.

Great reaction! There is a full version with Lea Salonga floating around somewhere. Its from a performance...i believe 10 years after the original. I highly recommend that version if you can find it. Its in Manila, and though it's not the original cast, it is one of my favorites, and it has Lea as Kim. Highly recommend! Thank you for the great reaction!

As your first commenter said, this performance was part of a special 25th anniversary gala show that took place on stage after a regular performance of the London MISS SAIGON revival in 2014. I don't think the entire gala show is online anywhere (sadly), just this duet between Rachelle Ann and Lea.

Yes, they know each other. Rachelle Ann Go did theater and was a recording artist in the Philippines. I believe Lea saw Rachelle Ann's leading lady debut in the Philippines in THE LITTLE MERMAID and pointed out what a great talent she was then. Lea encouraged Rachelle Ann to audition for the MISS SAIGON revival and they sang "Movie in the Mind" together at one of Lea's concerts not long before Rachelle Ann Go was going to leave for London.

I highly recommend that you continue to react to more Lea videos. She has SO many wonderful ones! Here are just a few that I think will be right up your alley:

--Lea's callback for MISS SAIGON: https://youtu.be/sy-A-wyzj7c.
The creators of LES MISERABLES were on a world-wide search for their leading lady for their new musical MISS SAIGON. Lea was 17 years old when the president of the singer's union in the Philippines recommended her to audition. She sang "On My Own" and "The Greatest Love of All" at her initial audition. This video is from her callback where they had her learn some music. (The full 1989 documentary is called "The Heat is On" and it shows the search for the perfect Kim as well as creating the new musical.)
--Simon Bowman (original Chris) and Lea Salonga performing "Last Night of the World" at a special gala at the London Palladium in 1990: https://youtu.be/73DicprRcxE.
Note: Lea has talked about how she led a very sheltered life in the Philippines and had never had a boyfriend before she started rehearsals for MISS SAIGON at age 18. Simon Bowman was her first kiss - and it was in a rehearsal room! And then she had to make out with him repeatedly in front of thousands of people during the run. Their chemistry was off the charts!
--Lea did MISS SAIGON in London for a little over a year (starting at 18) and then on Broadway for about a year (starting at age 20). She ended up returning to play Kim on Broadway for 5 months in 1999 (age 28), then she did a production in Manila at the end of 2000 and the final few weeks on Broadway before it closed (both at age 29). This is Will Chase (Lea's leading man for her 1999 Broadway stint, the Manila production, and her final Broadway run) opposite Lea in the Manila production. She doesn't look 29! And again, she has amazing chemistry with her leading man:  https://youtu.be/-OntDHKsZy0.
--More Lea and Rachelle Ann Go. Here is Lea and Rachelle Ann singing "I Know Him So Well" from the musical CHESS: https://youtu.be/mSbBL_9mkEs.
This was part of Lea's concert at the London Palladium in 2019 - her first time touring in the UK. (This is 5 years after the MISS SAIGON 25th anniversary concert performance.)
--And another Lea and Rachelle Ann Go duet! They sing "For Good" from WICKED: https://youtu.be/wgEl8CzVf4E.
Here Lea is the guest at Rachelle Ann's concert in the Philippines in early 2020.

Shout out to your patron Wayne. He has GREAT taste.

You missed Lea’s comment at the end. It’s a little hysterical

They know each other. Rachelle Ann Go was already a famous singer in the Philippines, and it was Lea who actually suggested to  Rachelle to go for the audition when an audition was held in Manila. Of course, as a young singer, Rachelle Ann has great admiration for Lea and everything that she has achieved. Aside from the great voice, Lea must have seen something in Rachelle Ann that tells her this young lady has that something that could withstand the work that is demanded from being an actress in musical play like Miss Saigon. Lea was so right. Not only did Rachelle play Gigi so well, but she was also able to play other major roles in other musical plays after her stint in Miss Saigon.

a few notes and answers to your questions:
- Lea originated Kim in London and then later on Broadway. The show premiered in London and almost didn't make it to Broadway because of Equity issues. She has played the role multiple times and there is plenty of footage of her as Kim.
- Rachelle and Lea are both Filipina and certainly knew of each other before this, but I don't know how well they knew each other.
- This performance is from the 25th anniversary (same one as you reacted to). This was part of the celebration part after the usual show - there are a number of other performances from it with the original cast and the 25th anniversary cast including American Dream with Jonathan Pryce and Jon Jon Briones (The Engineer), Last Night of the World with Lea Salonga, Simon Bowman (Original Kim and Chris) and Eva and Alastair (25th anniversary).
- There have been other celebrations like this over the years. In particular for Les Mis and Phantom since they are the two longest running musicals in the world. The 10th anniversary of Les Mis was called the Dream Cast and stars some of the best performers from all over the world who had starred in the show including several from the original London and Broadway casts. it's almost the full show performed concert style and it's AMAZING!
- Another one I want to recommend is a full show called Hey, Mr. Producer. It was a show put on to celebrate the works of Cameron Mackintosh (one of the biggest musical theatre producers in the world). it has performances from pretty much EVERY star of musical theatre at the time (1998) from Julie Andrews to Bernadette Peters to Hugh Jackman to Judi Dench. and features ALL the biggest shows: Cats, Miss Saigon, Les Mis, Phantom, Little Shop of Horrors, Oliver... the list goes on. Even Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber make an appearance singing TOGETHER.

I can't answer the first two questions, but this performance was from the 25th anniversary recording of Miss Saigon. After the curtain falls we have this song and I think a few more with a combination of some of the original cast and the 25th anniversary one. If you can check them out, they are really good.

Lea won an Olivier and Tony and so many more for this role. Watch Lea's Miss Saigon Highlights pls.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ 7 Star

I hope you caught Lea's funny comment at the end before you stopped it. It is so funny and adorable :)

This is an anniversary concert. Lea recomend Rachelle to Miss Saigon production.

Different casts of the same show?   You must be aware of the 10th Anniversary concert of Les Miserables with the 'dream cast' including Lea as Eponine (with what is often regarded as the best 'On My Own' ever).   Then there was a 25th anniversary concert of Les Mis with Lea as Fantine singing 'I Dreamed a Dream.'
This duet was from a special short concert after the 25th anniversary performance of Miss Saigon, I'm sure I've seen a video of the whole concert but I can't recall where.

If you had gone on a couple of frames, Lea tells the audience exactly what she thinks. Basically "SOB .../she is so good"

Lea is Rachel's mentor.

Lea will always be the best Kim. New sub here. Hope you could react to Lea Salonga Miss Saigon Highlights. You could also watch Lea as Kim here in yt. Just search for Miss Saigon Manila, there's 2 parts.

Both of them from philippines , and same popular in philippines, especially Lea, Lea is actress, singer ,performer, tv host, also Richelle is younger than Lea, Lea got house in U.S.and Philippines, they both married  ,...but they still popular..